And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
Elisha spoke the words early in the morning to his frightened servant when a Syrian force with horses and chariots had surrounded Dothan to seize him after he had exposed the king's ambush against Israel. To be told not to be afraid meant there was no cause for fear though danger compassed them about, because those with God's people are more than those against them. That greater company is God's unseen heavenly forces, with the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about and an encircling band of angels standing between God's servants and the armed enemy. The servant could not see this protection until his eyes were opened in answer to prayer. Those angels are sent to minister to and guard God's weak and helpless people, holding back destroying forces and delivering from dangers seen and unseen, and they are as ready to help now as in ancient Israel, so that those who stand with Christ and walk with God in faith, trust and earnest prayer are never outnumbered and can take courage and go forward without fear.
Context and Meaning
Elisha spoke the words early in the morning to his frightened servant when a host with horses and chariots had compassed the city, and the servant cried out asking what to do. The city was Dothan, the little town where he was shut in by his foes, surrounded by the Syrian army sent to seize him after he had exposed the king of Syria's ambush against Israel. The servant saw only the visible enemy surrounding them and feared what would become of them.
“Fear not” means there is no cause for fear when danger surrounds God’s people, because they that are with them are more than they that are against them. The forces protecting them are greater and more numerous than the army surrounding the city, so the servant need not fear the visible enemy. God’s unseen forces outnumber those arrayed against His servants, and His people need not fear when enemies seem stronger.
That greater company is God’s unseen heavenly forces, the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. The surrounding hills were filled with God’s horses and chariots of fire, an unseen band of angels placed between God’s servants and the armed enemy. Holy angels in mighty power guard the Lord’s chosen servants, encamp around His weak and helpless people, and surround them with protection. They were sent on a mission of mercy to protect and minister to God’s people, not to destroy or demand homage, remaining near Christ’s faithful followers to deliver from dangers seen and unseen.
The servant needed his eyes opened to see this protection, for the unseen armies of God were ready to help Elisha though fear blinded him to them. The Lord opened the young man’s eyes in answer to prayer, revealing the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire. God can still open human eyes to reveal this encircling guard, and like the servant at Dothan they would see angels surrounding and protecting them and holding back the forces seeking to destroy them if their eyes were opened.
Protection and Application
The promise shows that the greater number on the side of God's people is an unseen angelic guardianship sent to protect and minister to the weak and helpless, not to destroy or demand homage. These angels guard chosen servants, surround faithful followers of Christ, encamp around them when enemies shut them in, and hold back the forces seeking to destroy them so that those forces cannot reach them. If eyes were opened, as Elisha's servant's were opened in answer to prayer, this encircling protection would be seen, and it delivers from dangers both seen and unseen because heaven's forces are greater than any visible army arrayed against them.
Those who stand with Christ are never outnumbered, for Christ is always the majority with the whole angelic host under His command to direct heaven's armies. Invisible armies of light and power with their guardianship work with the humble, meek and lowly who work in God's ways and follow His plans. Heavenly watchers and holy beings observe human life even in busy cities and ordinary gatherings, though usually unseen, and earnest contrite prayer calls these heavenly helpers to the side. This ministry of holy angels on missions of mercy, as seen in the horses and chariots of fire around the little town where Elisha was shut in by his foes, has continued in all ages to God's people. The hosts are as ready to help now as in ancient Israel, so strength does not depend on discouraging words and there is no cause to give way to discouragement.
The verse teaches simple dependence on God and freedom from fear, for those with God's people are more than those against them. Those who by faith keep hold from above and walk with God as Enoch walked have nothing to fear in emergency, but look to heaven, trust God's power and promises, and go forward in vigorous persevering work confident that heavenly agencies work with them. This belongs to simplicity and not to breadth of human intelligence that has outgrown dependence, for without Christ nothing can be done; the wholly consecrated become laborers together with God instead of managing His cause in their own way and strength, and should take courage, be hopeful, and offer earnest contrite prayer.
The assurance holds when hostile powers oppose the right, for more forces are on the side of right than are arrayed against it, and opposition from those who reject Christ will not overcome God's cause but becomes a source of hope, strength and power. The struggle includes powers of darkness greater than visible human forces, yet God's support is greater than what can be seen. When workers come into trial from unbelief and sophistry and efforts by professed believers in high position to undermine truth and turn many away, a divine character and power of influence accompanies their labors that no one can thwart, giving power to warn with no uncertain sound in the latter days. Elisha's deliverance after exposing the Syrian ambush bore divine credentials, and stands with God's other helps as admonition for those upon whom the ends of the world are come, calling servants to keep their eyes on Jesus and refuse to answer hostility by Satan's methods.
When brought into strait places with apparently no escape where God's honor demands that truth be vindicated in controversy, the Lord alone must be the dependence, and He identifies His interest with His representative so that all befalling him redounds to God's glory. Self must be put out of sight that Christ alone appears, and duty is to stand on the platform of eternal truth and see God's salvation. The heart is to be opened in contrition, debate refused with those who honor neither God nor man, the opponent not followed but seeds of truth cast while a present Christ is left to care for the question, no retaliation allowed, words guarded to drop as silver and gold, and consciousness never lost of being Christ's ambassador speaking in His stead.
Elisha spoke the words early in the morning to his frightened servant when a Syrian force with horses and chariots had surrounded Dothan to seize him after he had exposed the king's ambush against Israel. To be told not to be afraid meant there was no cause for fear though danger compassed them about, because those with God's people are more than those against them. That greater company is God's unseen heavenly forces, with the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about and an encircling band of angels standing between God's servants and the armed enemy. The servant could not see this protection until his eyes were opened in answer to prayer. Those angels are sent to minister to and guard God's weak and helpless people, holding back destroying forces and delivering from dangers seen and unseen, and they are as ready to help now as in ancient Israel, so that those who stand with Christ and walk with God in faith, trust and earnest prayer are never outnumbered and can take courage and go forward without fear.
Context and Meaning
Elisha spoke the words early in the morning to his frightened servant when a host with horses and chariots had compassed the city, and the servant cried out asking what to do. The city was Dothan, the little town where he was shut in by his foes, surrounded by the Syrian army sent to seize him after he had exposed the king of Syria's ambush against Israel. The servant saw only the visible enemy surrounding them and feared what would become of them.
“Fear not” means there is no cause for fear when danger surrounds God’s people, because they that are with them are more than they that are against them. The forces protecting them are greater and more numerous than the army surrounding the city, so the servant need not fear the visible enemy. God’s unseen forces outnumber those arrayed against His servants, and His people need not fear when enemies seem stronger.
That greater company is God’s unseen heavenly forces, the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. The surrounding hills were filled with God’s horses and chariots of fire, an unseen band of angels placed between God’s servants and the armed enemy. Holy angels in mighty power guard the Lord’s chosen servants, encamp around His weak and helpless people, and surround them with protection. They were sent on a mission of mercy to protect and minister to God’s people, not to destroy or demand homage, remaining near Christ’s faithful followers to deliver from dangers seen and unseen.
The servant needed his eyes opened to see this protection, for the unseen armies of God were ready to help Elisha though fear blinded him to them. The Lord opened the young man’s eyes in answer to prayer, revealing the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire. God can still open human eyes to reveal this encircling guard, and like the servant at Dothan they would see angels surrounding and protecting them and holding back the forces seeking to destroy them if their eyes were opened.
Protection and Application
The promise shows that the greater number on the side of God's people is an unseen angelic guardianship sent to protect and minister to the weak and helpless, not to destroy or demand homage. These angels guard chosen servants, surround faithful followers of Christ, encamp around them when enemies shut them in, and hold back the forces seeking to destroy them so that those forces cannot reach them. If eyes were opened, as Elisha's servant's were opened in answer to prayer, this encircling protection would be seen, and it delivers from dangers both seen and unseen because heaven's forces are greater than any visible army arrayed against them.
Those who stand with Christ are never outnumbered, for Christ is always the majority with the whole angelic host under His command to direct heaven's armies. Invisible armies of light and power with their guardianship work with the humble, meek and lowly who work in God's ways and follow His plans. Heavenly watchers and holy beings observe human life even in busy cities and ordinary gatherings, though usually unseen, and earnest contrite prayer calls these heavenly helpers to the side. This ministry of holy angels on missions of mercy, as seen in the horses and chariots of fire around the little town where Elisha was shut in by his foes, has continued in all ages to God's people. The hosts are as ready to help now as in ancient Israel, so strength does not depend on discouraging words and there is no cause to give way to discouragement.
The verse teaches simple dependence on God and freedom from fear, for those with God's people are more than those against them. Those who by faith keep hold from above and walk with God as Enoch walked have nothing to fear in emergency, but look to heaven, trust God's power and promises, and go forward in vigorous persevering work confident that heavenly agencies work with them. This belongs to simplicity and not to breadth of human intelligence that has outgrown dependence, for without Christ nothing can be done; the wholly consecrated become laborers together with God instead of managing His cause in their own way and strength, and should take courage, be hopeful, and offer earnest contrite prayer.
The assurance holds when hostile powers oppose the right, for more forces are on the side of right than are arrayed against it, and opposition from those who reject Christ will not overcome God's cause but becomes a source of hope, strength and power. The struggle includes powers of darkness greater than visible human forces, yet God's support is greater than what can be seen. When workers come into trial from unbelief and sophistry and efforts by professed believers in high position to undermine truth and turn many away, a divine character and power of influence accompanies their labors that no one can thwart, giving power to warn with no uncertain sound in the latter days. Elisha's deliverance after exposing the Syrian ambush bore divine credentials, and stands with God's other helps as admonition for those upon whom the ends of the world are come, calling servants to keep their eyes on Jesus and refuse to answer hostility by Satan's methods.
When brought into strait places with apparently no escape where God's honor demands that truth be vindicated in controversy, the Lord alone must be the dependence, and He identifies His interest with His representative so that all befalling him redounds to God's glory. Self must be put out of sight that Christ alone appears, and duty is to stand on the platform of eternal truth and see God's salvation. The heart is to be opened in contrition, debate refused with those who honor neither God nor man, the opponent not followed but seeds of truth cast while a present Christ is left to care for the question, no retaliation allowed, words guarded to drop as silver and gold, and consciousness never lost of being Christ's ambassador speaking in His stead.